Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

at University of Massachusetts Lowell USA

Sociologists study many different subjects: race and ethnicity, social policy, gender and sexuality, family and kinship, the nature of industrial capitalism, the effect of technology on modern society and interpersonal relationships. These are just a few of the many areas sociologists are interested in understanding. What draws these different areas together is the emphasis on understanding social life, both in our own society and cross-culturally.

The sociology major offers students the opportunity to learn about our social world. Courses cover a wide range of fields. As part of their program, students are encouraged to work in the Lowell community. Many students complete corporate or agency internships in which they work within a field setting to gain needed job experience.

Department members value the search for meaningful social change. Students who are interested in working in human services, social work, personnel management, urban planning, elder services, communications, law, education, research, community activism or full-time academic work might consider a major in sociology.   

Policy and Social Problems Concentration
Students may choose a concentration in Policy and Social Problems, which provides a pathway for those who want to focus specifically on applying analytical tools of sociological thinking to social problems and their solutions.

The Master of Science serves several audiences, from the professional - with extensive industrial experience, to the recent graduate - aiming ultimately for an advanced research degree.

UMass Lowell’s computer science program offers theoretical grounding combined with an industry-influenced curriculum that sets our graduates apart. Alumni of the program work in companies like Amazon, Bloomberg, EMC, Facebook, Fidelity, Google, IBM, Microsoft, MITRE and Raytheon.

Graduates of the program work across industries, in large and small organizations. The Bioinformatics option graduates work primarily in the life sciences sector, improving people’s lives by making sense of the voluminous biological and health-care related data available today.

The UMass Lowell Chemical Engineering program provides the opportunity for graduate students to study the fundamentals and applications of chemical engineering principles at an advanced level.

The Applied Biomedical Sciences (ABS) degree program provides a high quality education in biomedical and laboratory sciences, preparing its graduates for employment in a broad range of laboratory and research work environments, including industry, government, medical diagnostics, forensics, and more. Graduates of the program are also very well prepared for graduate and professional degree programs, including medicine and related fields.

The Master of Science program in Security Studies prepares students for careers in the rapid expanding field of cyber security, as well as weapons of mass destruction (CBRNE) and how to address threats to our critical infrastructure.

Homeland Defense - Concentration
Students pursuing this area of concentration will develop competencies and knowledge relating to homeland security strategy and policy development, critical infrastructure protection, regional and national security intelligence, land and maritime border protection, and the use of new technologies in homeland security. Emphasis is placed on integrating a “big picture” policy perspective with an understanding of human behavior, systems, and intelligence analysis.

In this concentration, students learn how to write for an audience as a journalist, technical communicator, or a writer in other professional contexts. Students begin by taking Introduction to Professional Writing and continue with coursework that focuses on learning different aspects of professional writing. Journal and Professional Writing courses offer opportunities to learn about digital rhetoric, editing, publishing, grant writing, language and literacy, new media, reflective writing and visual rhetoric, just to name a few. All students in this track complete a portfolio that showcases their work in professional settings. That work often comes as part of an internship. Ultimately, the Journalism and Professional Writing concentration prepares students for writing situations and challenges beyond the classroom.

Geoscience is the study of the physical environment. The curriculum at UMass Lowell is centered around a strong geoscience core, but includes additional course work in the biological sciences, hydrogeology, hydrochemistry and geographical information systems. This concentration provides a broader preparation than the traditional geology course of study and also is recommended for students who might wish to obtain certification as earth science teachers. It provides the requisite course work for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in environmental science or geology.
Graduates of this concentration are qualified for a variety of employment opportunities in traditional areas of geological employment in the petroleum and mining industries, as well for expanding opportunities in hydrogeology, hazardous waste assessment and management, groundwater remediation, wetlands delineation and evaluation, and environmental management.
Previous graduates have found employment in the petroleum industry, in asbestos identification and remediation, in environmental testing laboratories as analytical specialists, and in the field evaluating hazardous waste sites and ground and surface water contamination.

Completion of the chemistry curriculum provides preparation for all areas of the chemical profession, as well as for graduate study in chemistry, dentistry, medicine, patent law, and teaching. Students completing the B.S. requirements graduate with a degree certified as being in a program approved by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society.

The major typically includes 56-60 credits in chemistry courses and 26-30 credits in supporting science and mathematics courses. In addition, university/college guidelines for core curriculum/distribution requirements must be fulfilled.

Students can take courses in the history of philosophy and philosophical movements; political, mathematical and scientific philosophies; metaphysics; linguistics and aesthetics. Students will learn how to analyze, reason, deduct and apply persuasive arguments in a disciplined and systematic way while developing their oral and written communication skills.

The department does not specify particular course work for the major, but recommends that the sequence of courses be designed in close consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. Students who plan to go to graduate school are strongly encouraged to take at least two courses from the History of Philosophy series. They should also consider a second major in a cognate field, e.g., American studies, English, French, history, mathematics, or political science.

Master of Science in Chemistry are offered in analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical chemistry and polymer science. The UMass Lowell program provides opportunity for advanced study and research training in chemistry, both general and specialized. Provision also is made for the student to elect certain advanced subjects in related fields of mathematics, physics and engineering.